Maryland Issues Appeal to ID Abandoned Girl

BALTIMORE – Authorities appealed to the public to identify an abandoned 3-year-old girl who says her name is Courtney, she's from Brooklyn and she wants her mommy.

The little girl was found May 5 when the father dropped her off with a stranger at an unknown location in Baltimore, Sue Fitzsimmons, a spokeswoman for the city Department of Social Services, said Monday. He said he was leaving to cash a money order, but he never returned and the stranger called police.

The child told authorities she is from Brooklyn, N.Y. She said she and her father had been living in a Baltimore warehouse.

The girl has been in foster care since she was found. Fitzsimmons said Monday that if Courtney's relatives do not come forward to claim her, she will be permanently placed with a family in Baltimore.

"We want to do everything we can to find out who she is," Fitzsimmons said. "We hope someone is looking for her."

In New York, police Sgt. Kevin Hays said Wednesday that the NYPD (search) had no leads at this time on the girl's identity. He said Baltimore authorities continued to investigate.

At Monday's news conference, Courtney played with toys and posed for pictures wearing a black-and-white summer outfit, her hair in neat cornrows.

When a reporter asked her a question, she wept and said: "I want my mommy."

With that, Fitzsimmons picked her up, and the news conference ended.

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EDITOR'S NOTE — Officials asked anyone with information about Courtney or her family to call the Department of Social Services at (410) 361-2235.